Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Priority pickups for a quick boost in the standings

The midpoint of August has come and gone, leaving just 7.5 weeks remaining in the 2022 fantasy baseball season. Your focus needs to be on players who can help right away, and luckily, there are plenty of options available.

Joey Bart (C, San Francisco Giants, 16 percent rostered)

Bart has revived his season — and possibly his career — in recent weeks, producing five homers and an .840 OPS since the beginning of July. This is a great weekend to give him a chance in one-catcher leagues, as the Giants could score plenty of runs during their three games at Coors Field. Other Giants to consider include outfielder Mike Yastrzemski and shortstop Brandon Crawford.

[It's fantasy football season: Create or join a league now!]

Vinnie Pasquantino (1B, Kansas City Royals, 52%)

Pasquantino struggled in his initial two months in the Majors, but it is far too early to call this rookie a post-hype sleeper. He has tremendous plate control (20:26 BB:K ratio) and his bat has caught fire in August (5 HR, .362 AVG, 1.105 OPS). Even with the depth of talent at first base, Pasquantino presents a combination of power and batting average that makes him worth a roster spot in most leagues.

Joey Meneses (1B/OF, Washington Nationals, 33%)

At 30 years old, Meneses is long past the time where he would be considered a prospect in his rookie year. Still, the slugger had gone deep 20 times in 96 games in Triple-A this season, and he has ripped an additional five round-trippers across 53 at-bats since joining the Nats. I would add Pasquantino if both he and Meneses were available, but Meneses is worth a shot in 12-team leagues.

Brett Baty, (3B, New York Mets, 38%)

Baty homered his Major League debut on Wednesday after hitting .315 with 19 round-trippers in 95 games across the top-2 Minor League levels this year. The 22-year-old was a first-round pick in 2019 and ranks high on prospect lists, making him an exciting player to add for those who are looking for upside. He should man the hot corner regularly during the time that Eduardo Escobar is on the IL and could stay for the rest of the Mets postseason push by getting off to a hot start.

Emmanuel Rivera (3B, Arizona Diamondbacks, 7%)

Rivera didn’t do anything exciting in small trials with the Royals across 2021-22, but he has been outstanding (1.056 OPS) since being traded to the D-backs at the trade deadline. The 26-year-old is still young enough to enjoy a career breakout, and there is room in Arizona’s roster for him to play regularly. And as an added bonus, Rivera has been consistently hitting second in the lineup.

Jake Fraley (OF, Cincinnati Reds, 6%)

Everyone knew that Fraley was in line for extra opportunities when he returned from the 60-day IL on July 29. After all, the Reds are in rebuilding mode and unloaded a couple regular position players at the trade deadline. And everyone knew that the 27-year-old had the diverse skill set that fantasy managers covet, while also acknowledging that thus far in his career he had failed to enjoy much success in the Majors. Fast forward a couple weeks, and Fraley is among the hottest hitters in baseball (1.097 OPS since July 29) and deserving of a roster spot in 12-team leagues.

Kerry Carpenter (UT, Detroit Tigers, 2%)

Carpenter is a great story, having already reached the Majors after being selected in the 19th round of the 2019 draft. And he earned his promotion by stellar play in the Minors, hitting .313 with 30 homers and 75 RBIs in 97 games this year. Carpenter is off to a hot start (1.050 OPS) on a Detroit team that can offer him plenty of playing time, which make him worth an add in 12-team leagues.

Edward Cabrera (SP, Miami Marlins, 51%)

Do you like pitchers who don’t give up any runs? If so, Cabrera might be the guy for you. The 24-year-old has thrown 14.2 scoreless innings since coming off the IL on August 5, striking out 21 batters along the way. Cabrera continues to have control issues (4.8 BB/9 rate) but hitters have a hard time making solid contact against him, which should make him a ratios asset the rest of the way.

[Play in one of Yahoo's MLB DFS contests]

Marco Gonzales (SP, Seattle Mariners, 27%)

I’ll be the first to admit that Gonzales is not a special pitcher. But he has logged a 4.08 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP across 789.1 career innings, which puts him squarely into the streamer category for favorable matchups. Such a matchup is set to occur today, when Gonzales makes a start against an Oakland offense that ranks 29th with a .625 OPS.

Rowan Wick (RP, Chicago Cubs, 40%)

Wick blew a save for the first time in August on Tuesday, when he allowed two runs in an eventual win over the Nats. Still, he had converted opportunities in his previous three opportunities and should continue to have a firm grip on the ninth-inning for the rebuilding Cubs. For those who need saves, he is likely the best available option.

James Karinchak (RP, Cleveland Guardians, 9%)

Fantasy managers don’t need a long memory to recall that Karinchak opened last season as the Guardians closer after posting a ridiculous strikeout rate and great ratios in 2020. He disappeared from the fantasy scene for more than a year, but since being recalled on July 3, the right-hander has posted a 1.47 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP while striking out 34 batters in 18.1 innings. He is among the best waiver-wire targets for those who need ratio help more than saves.